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Saturday, November 1, 2008

Jackson didn't feel well when I picked him up at school for lunch yesterday. He didn't want to go back to school; he just wanted to lie down. On the other hand, he really didn't want to miss the Halloween festivities. He didn't have a fever so I left it up to him and told him he could stay home with my parents who were watching Clay and Brooklyn or he could go back to school with me. He chose to stick it out and return to school.

After class, he went trick-or-treating with some friends and their parents. After a few minutes, he came home complaining that his ear hurt.

"Well, it's a holiday so it stands to reason that someone would get sick."

"I'm not sick. My ear just hurts," Jackson corrected me.

"We'll see," I said. "We'll see."

Jackson woke up today with horrible pain in his ear. It was before 9:00 AM when he told me his ear was hurting really badly.

"Don't you know you're supposed to wait until Saturday night or Sunday to tell me you can't take the ear pain and need to see the doctor?" I asked Jackson.

"Huh?" came his confused reply.

"I believe the rule is that you can only get sick Saturday night, Sunday, holidays, or on vacation. You're confusing me by getting sick during regular office hours."

Jackson wasn't amused.

I called the office when they opened at 9:00 and drove Jackson over to be seen. The doctor took a look at his ear and said something reassuring like, "Yikes! That is one nasty infection!"

A stop at the drug store and $20 later, we came home and he took his first dose. He lay down and starting really crying that he was in pain. I got some Motrin, but before I could give it to him, he said, "Huh, my ear feels better now. It doesn't hurt. Weird. It feels all drippy and wet though. I still can't hear with this ear though."

"What?" I asked him.

"I still can't hear with this ear," he repeated.

"What?"

"I still can't hear with this ear," he repeated again.

"What? I can't hear you."

"I still can't....MOM! Stop it!"

LOL! Ahhh, that one never gets old.

I took a look and sure enough, his ear was draining blood and stuff. "Well, it's been a year since someone had a perforated ear drum. I guess it's about time for another one. Come to think of it, it's been several months since strep throat made its rounds through our family too..."

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35 comments:

WOW! I am the first comment?! I don't even know what to say. The only thing I am thinking is I feel for you. I have one with an ear infection now! I swear they should just tap the amox. from the pharmacy to my house... did you know that is one of walmart's $4 Perscriptions?

Aw man, that sounds painful. I've never had to deal with any ear problems with my kids, thank goodness. What happens with a ruptured ear drum? Did you have to go back to the doc or do you just let it drain and heal?Sure hope Jax feels better soon.~Kristi

Oh, yuck--one of my sons was prone to constant massive ear infections. I well remember the days of dripping ears-only his never, ever HURT. Try convincing a doctor that you had no clue your child had a raging infection.

What a trooper. When my 7yo had an ear infection that bad last Spring, all he could do was lay on his bed and cry off and on until the ear drum perforated. Now mine both had ear tubes, so there should be none of that this year.

In 16 years, when Brooklyn is out of the house, you will miss these days.....

Poor Jackson. I hate it when kids tell mommies in the middle of the night, my ear hurts. Mine always happen the first two weeks in the year. Two ear infections, same kids both on January 1 or 2. Both in the middle of the night. Still took over 4 hours to get in and there was only one other person in the waiting room. HUH?

Doesn't it figure? My son woke up yesterday oozing green out of his eyes. Yes, his eyes! Which means another nasty nasal infection that goes into an even nastier respitory infection....anyway, it figures it was a Saturday morning!! It usually is. We do this round every couple of months. Love the blog!!

Hi Dawn, Love your blog. I got myself an otoscope a few years ago. Its called Easy Ear. Its is very easy to tell if their ear is infected so you dont have to wait until they are screaming to go to the Dr.. The Dr. even trusts me now to just call in and he prescribes to save me the trip. - Robn

I feel for you we are dealing with that with my daughter however, it's the first time, we were told her ear drum was about to burst however after giving her her meds she's doing much better hope your lil one soon feels better soon.

Poor Jackson! My son had a ton of ear infections as a child. And several perforated ear drums. The worst part was, his ear would be infected way before he'd have a fever or start complaining. So it would be nasty infected by the time we hit the doctor's office. Nothing like having a doctor look at you like you're the worst mom in the world!

I wanted one of those ear-looker-thingys at home, so I could get him to the doctor sooner!

Ear infections are NOT fun! I used to get them all the time when I was a kid, it was like having swimmer's ear with a localized migraine all rolled into one.

I completely understand with your kids only getting sick on holidays, @ 1am Sunday morning, or while you are on vacation. This also goes along the lines of "needing" special paper, glue, or a flux capacitor that they just magically remembered the night before a project was due. Of course, this realization is said with an exasperated whiny tone and after the normal stores have closed.

Yeowtch! Poor Jackson! So, what do you DO when you have a perforated eardrum? Are you supposed to just leave it to drain or do you need to take him back to the doctor? You can tell I only have one kid and have been blessed with only two ear infections, right? I have a lot to learn!

I know you didn't ask for advice, that's why I couldn't keep my mouth shut, lol...anyway, have you ever tried a chiropractor? My kids have never had an ear infection, one is 5.5 and the other is "3.97 and not potty trained" but no ear infections and rarely do they get stomach bugs (like one each in their life time).....it is so worth it...you know, since you didn't even ask for any advice, don't you just hate folks like me

Oh man, your kids too? Mine used to have burst ear drums all the time. Sometimes they'd have no symptoms, except maybe being a little more whiney than usua. Then boom. Burst eardrum! Hope he gets better soon!

My son was four when that happened to him. Only it was a lot more sinister and dramatic.

He was playing nicely and suddenly SCREAMED and threw himself to the floor. I ran to check on him and LOTS of blood was dripping down from his ear, all down his neck and onto his clothes. I freaked and took him to the doc who said it was a ruptured ear drum.

No infection. Nothing. Just suddenly ruptured, not even perforated. When they looked in there, they said it just tore right down the middle:( Took a while to heal and we had to keep his ear completely covered for a few weeks until the ear drum knit itself back together.

Hey Dawn,My oldest had three perforated ear drums in the last 2 years and what killed me was he would complain of a little ear pain but no other symtoms. By the time we would take him to the doctor, it was too late and the drum would perforate. Not only did he have to take antibiotics, we also had to put ear drops in twice a day. You also have to make sure no water gets in his in ears for at least a week while it heals. Sure easy to do if you don't want your kid to BATHE! LOL! Love your blog, but damn woman, you need to slow down! I get tired reading all your goings-on and I work full time and raise two crazy boys and a musician husband who's away gigging half the time! Congrats on your book, can't wait for it to come out!

You had better not complain next week when three of your kids wake you up at 2am (or should I say interrupt your internet time) to tell you their throats hurt. You asked for that one. You've been a mom for HOW LONG??? You so know better than that.

Oh, and to second Jerriann...I totally agree with her. We have five kids and I can count on one hand the number of times we've had a sickness this year. Gotta love Chiropractors. You'd be amazed at what it does for ADD/ADHD. I suggest finding one that is Upper Cervical Specific though. Just my two cents. Well four if you count my last comment.

I am totally with the other moms asking "what do you do about that?" I have never had that happen, but I can tell you if blood and gunk were coming out of my boy's ear I would be freaking right the freak out! I am sure you know how to deal with this, so I am wondering what you do?

And yes, I am a mom of one ds9. Probably sounds rather mystical to those moms that have more than about 2 or 3. Why? Because my husband's mom had 5. LOL!

ok, so i am a little far behind on your blog.. but anyway, i love your laid back reaction to the busted ear drum. the first one was a real panic for first time mommy... but then, every time my kid lost his tudes he would have a new busted eardrum within a week.. so, now I am the "oh, a ruptured ear drum, well i guess it won't hurt so bad anymore" mommy rather than the "oh my goodness my baby must be dying" mommy. there are so few of us in the world today... oh, and allergy shots work wonders for ear infections.